A new mobile turn-based strategy game from Sparrow InterActive takes players to the end of the world and asks them to save it.
Lords of Steel: AI Wars, currently in its Kickstarter campaign, takes place in a reality where humans have been nearly obliterated by the robot soldiers that once took the place of humans in war. Once they recognized the inferiority of humanity, the robots overcame their programming and set out to annihilate the unnecessary humans.
Human survivors regrouped and build Bio-MECHs, machines that cannot operate without a human at the helm. In these magnificent machines they will rise up and be strong again.
Lords of Steel: AI Wars, available on iOS and Android mobile systems, combines the playability of Hunters 2 and WarHammer with the strategic elements of traditional turn-based PvP experiences, and provides a deep backstory, rich graphics, highly detailed character creation, and the ability to make complex decisions for a shrewd battle plan.
“The game combines the best of strategic and tactical turn-based strategy with a compelling storyline that continues to provide players with rich content,” said Project Leader Matt Lobel, president of Sparrow InterActive. “It promises a story that keeps PvE players engaged and enough strategic options in PvP combat to make each battle completely unique.”
Gameplay comes in three components: Build, Design, and Conquer. Bio-MECHs are at the heart of all of these, and as players advance they will have the ability to add other types of Bio-MECHs to their stables.
A player starts the game with a lord or lady ranking and one Bio-MECH, a Scout that can be outfitted with myriad combinations of weapons, armor, sensors and other components, depending on whether the player wants a power assault, a finesse attack or a suicide mission. A campaign and daily missions provides PvE experiences, but the heart of the game is PvP play with opponents from around the world. As a player rises in rank and expands his or her army of Bio-MECHs, the path is made toward the ultimate goal of becoming emperor or empress.
A Real Kickstarter Company
The game’s Kickstarter campaign launched Monday, Aug. 4. Sparrow InterActive, the 22-year-old media development company developing the game, is seeking $45,000 and has several stretch goal in place as well. Lords of Steel: AI Wars is planned for release in the fall of 2014.
The Kickstarter campaign is designed to help Sparrow InterActive get the game out there sooner. Lobel said crowdfunding carries a risk, but it’s a risk he’s willing to take.
“We’re the kind of company that Kickstarter was made for — a strong business with a vision helped by people who are excited by that vision,” Lobel said in a video on the game’s Kickstarter page. “We’re not some big conglomerate raising money we already have just to reduce our risk. We’re the real deal. We’re the company that takes risks. And Lords of Steel: AI Wars is a risk worth taking.”
The company has already invested heavily into its foray into the mobile gaming market, and will continue to invest, Lobel pointed out. “This Kickstarter campaign will allow us to create the game this year and implement all the cool ideas we have for it. We’re excited to give you a great game.”
Part of the Kickstarter campaign is a web series in video/comic book format. The first webisode features a teenage girl who is alone after everyone in her community, including her parents, has been killed by the robots. We see her explaining her situation and outlining her quest to find other survivors and fight back.
All reward tiers give backers a copy of the game as well as other rewards such as special recognition in the forums, weapon sets. At the $5 level comes the full release, but there’s more: A thank you on the game website, access to an exclusive developer blog, Facebook fan art, and the official LoS soundtrack download. That’s a lot for five bucks.
To get in on the action early with the beta or alpha release, go for the $10 or $15 tier. Each comes with other added rewards.
Higher tiers give backers exclusive weapons, armor sets, input into game elements and other rewards. At the $250 level, a player can have his or her own face on a game character. Higher levels allow backers to help design their own medium and large Bio-MECHs that only they can access for the first year of the game.
“Join me in launching this powerful game that will take the gaming world by storm,” Lobel said. “…Get in on the ground floor of an incredible adventure. We’ll make it worth your while.”
More than Just a Fantasy?
“The Lords of Steel World is a fantasy, but how far off is it?” Lobel asks. “We’re steadily asking machines to do more for us. How far until we reach the singularity, where artificial intelligence matches and then surpasses human intelligence and the world changes forever? Can we learn to control the AI before it controls us?”
